Basketball player Ben Simmons spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Ben Simmons, the Brooklyn Nets point guard known as much for his off-court style as his on-court athleticism, was recently spotted with a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1R on his wrist — a watch that quietly signals serious horological taste beneath its sports-luxe exterior.

The Nautilus 5712/1R sits at the more technically ambitious end of the Nautilus family. Built around Patek Philippe's Caliber 240 PS IRM C LU — a thin, 22k gold micro-rotor automatic movement — the watch delivers a trifecta of complications: an analog date display, a moon phase indicator accurate to one day's deviation every 122 years, and a linear power-reserve indicator showing approximately 48 hours of autonomy. The case measures 40mm in 18k rose gold and pairs with a matching integrated rose gold bracelet, carrying an IP Water Resistance rating of 120 meters, a nod to the Nautilus's original 1976 Gerald Genta brief as a luxury sports watch.

The 2022 iteration of the 5712/1R drew immediate attention for its new sunburst brown dial with a distinctive black-gradient rim — a significant aesthetic departure from earlier iterations of the reference. Horizontally embossed in the signature Nautilus pattern, the dial features gold applied hour markers with luminescent coating, achieving legibility without sacrificing refinement. This dial update, combined with the rose gold case, gives the piece an evening-ready warmth that earlier steel or white gold variants simply don't replicate.

Among collectors, the 5712 in any metal commands respect. It represents one of the few references where Patek manages to integrate three meaningful complications into the Nautilus case without compromising proportions. The rose gold variant specifically appeals to buyers who want something more formal than the steel 5711 lineage without migrating entirely to the dress watch catalogue. Waitlists at authorized dealers remain long, and allocation is tightly controlled.

At an official retail of $81,500, the Nautilus 5712/1R already commands a premium positioning. On the grey market, however, the piece consistently trades around $210,000 — reflecting both the scarcity of rose gold Nautilus allocations and sustained global demand. For Simmons, who has built a reputation as a genuine watch collector with a preference for high-complications, the 5712/1R is a logical and well-informed choice.